There’s a word that I hear chiropractors use every day that I wish they’d stop using. The term I’m referring to is “remove” in the context of subluxation.

Now I know that there are several definitions for the word “remove” and that you can probably find one that’s applicable to your claim. But I think chiropractors should say what they mean and mean what they say. Consider this excerpt from The English Teacher Blog:

“Saying what you mean is more than choosing your words and stating them. Words, after all, have at least three meanings:  what you mean, what the listener thinks you mean, and the dictionary definition(s).”

As a fellow chiropractor I know exactly what my colleagues are implying with the phrase, “remove subluxation.” Unfortunately, patients can easily think it means something else. “Remove” has a surgical connotation to the general public. Think about it… Every day thousands of people are getting stuff removed: Wisdom teeth, moles, tonsils, gall bladders – even tattoos! To them, the “removal” process is permanent!

“Removing subluxation” sounds like a one shot deal. Can you blame anyone for questioning the need for follow-up visits? “Reduce” is a much more accurate, understandable, and mutually agreeable term that doesn’t contradict your treatment recommendations.

The ability to hold a chiropractic adjustment reflects a person’s lifestyle choices. Subluxations are reduced until some form of negative stress prevails; they’re never removed.

When patient’s discover the relationship between they way the live and the way they feel, the need for chiropractic checkups actually makes sense!